Cooperation in Traditional Medicine Promoted during Greek Goodwill Visit

The promotion of cooperation between China and Greece in the important field of traditional medicine was a major part of the work carried out during a goodwill visit to Greece by a CPAFFC delegation led by President Chen Haosu October 21-26, 2009. This was discussed at a symposium “The Art of Medicine of Greece and China” co-sponsored by the CPAFFC, Horizons-Human & Cultural Activities (HHCA) of Greece that caught wide attention from various circles of Greece.

Experts of traditional Chinese medicine from the Chinese Traditional Medicine Institute of Beijing, the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, the Research Center of Medicinal Plant Resource, and Fujian University of Chinese Medicine gave briefings on the basic concepts and treatment methods of traditional Chinese medicine from the aspects of traditional Chinese pharmacology, science of acupuncture and moxibustion, medicinal plants and ways of curing diseases by TCM doctors.

Greek medical experts, meanwhile, talked about the Hippocratic Oath setting out the code of ethics between doctors and patients, and application of the diagnosis and treatment techniques and the medicinal plants used by Hippocrates to today’s pharmaceutical technology. The speech entitled “Comparative Study between Ancient Greek and Traditional Chinese Medicine” by Alexandros Tilikides of the Academy of Ancient Greek and Traditional Chinese Medicine, who has studied TCM for many years, was representative.

He said that, although Hippocrates is regarded as the founder of Western medicine, modern Western medicine has not inherited his medical philosophy; hence there is a break between the ancient and modern medicine. In present-day society, people had gradually realized the importance of traditional medicine and sought its revival. Tilikides suggested that, for its revival, there was much scope for Hippocratic medicine to cooperate with TCM, which would also enable the latter to go global.

At the symposium, the Chinese and Greek medical experts reached consensus that there are many similarities between traditional Chinese medicine and Hippocratic medicine and that both advocated treating and curing diseases by using medicinal plants. These common views agree with today’s notion of environmental protection, conform to the long-term interests of humankind and reflect the concept of sustainable development featuring harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

The opening ceremony was attended by Greek President Carolos Papoulias; the Chinese Ambassador to Greece Luo Linquan, a representative for the Greek cultural minister and the Mayor of Athens were also present among about 100 representatives from Greek medical circles and personages friendly to China.

At the opening ceremony, CPAFFC President Chen Haosu spoke highly of the Chinese and Greek traditional medicine and, on behalf of the CPAFFC, conferred honorary title of Friendship Ambassador onAndreas Potamianos, President of the Greece-China Association, Minos Kyriakou, ex-president of the Greek Olympic Committee, and Stavros Nikolakopoulos, President of the Euro-Chinese Center for Research and Development, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the promotion of exchanges between Greece and China and friendship between the two peoples.

After the symposium, Chen Haosu had a discussion with HHCA President Spyros Mercouris about the exhibition on Chinese and Greek ancient civilization “Man and Nature is One” to be held at the headquarters of the UN in New York in 2010.

The CPAFFC delegation also visited Kos Island, birthplace of Hippocrates, and planted plants of traditional Chinese medicine in a plantation of medicinal herbs on the island. President Chen, President Mercouris, IHF President Geroulanos and the Kos local authority head planted together a ginkgo tree symbolizing friendship between China and Greece.